


Sleep Talking

by rainpie



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, KatAang Week 2015, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 14:12:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4438547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainpie/pseuds/rainpie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aang often talks in his sleep when his dreams are particularly troubling; Katara is well used to this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleep Talking

**Author's Note:**

> Written for KatAang Week 2015. Prompt - "Sleep Talking".

Hot wind whipped his face and burned his skin. The breath in his lungs was shallow and sharp and caused him to wheeze, choking on ash and heat as the echoes of pained screams and roaring flames rung in his ears and licked at his feet.  
  
Ozai stood before him, the fire below them dancing in his eyes as he threw back his head and barked with cruel laughter. Aang's eyes were watery, weak with the pressure in the atmosphere and the tears that sprung to them as with effort he dragged his gaze behind the standing tyrant, watching the bodies of his friends and loved ones writhe in pain and collapse into ash.  
  
_Katara...!_  
  
.  
  
"Aang?"  
  
Weary eyes opened slowly to the sound of Katara's anxious whisper, meeting an alarmed gaze that caused a stab of guilt to knot in Aang's gut. He tasted something sour - acid from his churning stomach created by the stinging traces of his unsettling nightmare formed a foul brew in his mouth.  
  
He struggled under his blanket, drawing himself up to lean back on the crooks of his bony elbows. "Was I..." His voice was hoarse.  
"Was I talking in my sleep again?"  
  
The flickering in Katara's downcast eyes was response enough. He must have said her name again.  
  
She drew forth a trickle of water from her flask, bringing it up to his lips, and Aang sighed heavily as it slipped down his throat.  
Katara's sun-browned hand reached up and laid itself softly down on his bare chest, coaxing him to lie down again. She traced her knuckles across his pale forehead as he obediently complied, soothing him with gentle shushes in spite of how own brow was twisted with worry and concern.  
  
Their fellow team-members slept soundly in spite of the small ruckus Aang had caused. Katara was apparently the only one who had been awakened by his sleep talking.  
  
Aang's eyes were still partially open, watching her with a disconcertingly intense gaze in spite of the fog of sleepiness that glazed over them. Katara tried to get him to shut his eyes and lure him back to sleep by gently petting his forehead with the back of her fingers - and soon enough the warmth of her hand brought his half-lidded eyes to close, the evidence of his troubling dream slowly disappearing from his youthful features, his breathing heavy and deep.  
  
She drew herself up, ready to approach her bed again. As she stooped down to pick up the flask of water by her feet, she saw a cold hand reach out and feebly clutch her by the hem of her robe. Aang's eyes were shut, but the pained expression was back on his face. After a moment's hesitation she tugged her hem away, leaving his hand to fall on the ground. His eyes opened - they were still clouded by fatigue, but clearly showed that he was hurt.  
  
Gingerly she approached her bed of leather skins, her footsteps soft so as not to awaken the others, and bent down to scoop it up in her arms. Treading back over to where Aang lay, she laid out her bed beside him and settled down upon it.  
  
This time he waited a for few unsure moments before he reached out and took her hand - hesitancy apparent, uncertain and wary, but she did not pull away.  
  
It only took him a few minutes to fall back asleep with her hand in his. She locked their fingers together, holding on firmly until her grip softened with the caress of sleep.  
  
He did not utter another word for the rest of the night.    
  



End file.
